FILLINGS

Preserve your teeth with fillings!

Tooth fillings vary in longevity, strength, cost, color, length of procedure time and patient satisfaction. Amalgam or silver fillings have been the most popular in the world for many decades but the tooth colored resin fillings are gaining more popularity and acceptability. Gold fillings are technique sensitive and the color may not be agreeable to everybody. Tooth colored porcelain inlays or onlays are excellent restorative choices for teeth needing moderately large restorations that are not really in need of a full coverage crown.

Fillings don’t feel any different than natural teeth and are used to arrest decay and preserve tooth structure. Tooth cavity fillings do wear out and may need replacement from time to time. Fillings require removal of tooth as well as a small amount of surrounding healthy tooth structure. One or two appointments are necessary depending on the filling chosen.

Four Alternatives for Posterior Restorations (cavity fillings on back teeth)
Some restorative materials are weaker than natural tooth like silver, resin and inlays. Onlays, both gold and ceramic are stronger than natural tooth.

Silver Fillings

  • Have been around for 175 years
  • Longevity proven
  • Unappealing color
  • Stain surrounding tooth
  • Bio-compatability of material is debated because of mercury associated risks
Dental Fillings - Hesperia Dentist

Resin Fillings

  • Look exactly like tooth may strengthen tooth
  • One appointment and very little tooth structure is removed
  • Beautiful and relatively long lasting
  • Low to moderate cost
  • Can strengthen tooth structure
  • Must be placed well- technique sensitive
  • Must not be placed in large cavities
  • Risks – temperature sensitivity
  • Cost Moderate

Inlay or onlays

  • Ceramic or resin may need one or two appointments depending on whether they are made by the dentist or the dental technician They are fabricated outside the mouth in cemented in the tooth. Inlay does not cover entire chewing surface of tooth but onlay cover entire chewing surface and therefore offers more strength.
  • Post operative tooth sensitivity, which goes away soon
  • Can break when chewing on hard foods
  • Cost is same as gold but more expensive than silver or tooth colored fillings

Gold Inlays or Onlays

  • Longest serving restorations in dentistry
  • They wear exactly like natural tooth structure so are not harmful to opposing teeth and strengthen the tooth
  • Gold colored which may be objectionable to some. Display of gold can be hidden by choosing where they are placed- getting the best use of the material without compromising esthetics
  • Cost is more expensive than most small fillings

Tooth restorations available today are the best in history of dentistry. Contact us today for cavity fillings in Hesperia, CA.